Ski Patrol (a What If ? Collaboration with CimarWildehopps)
by Johnsoneer
Summary: Nick and Judy take a break from real life with Fitiwik's alternate-reality machine where they escape into a world where they are Ski Patrol officers keeping the patrons of Royal Peaks safe. They'll learn a little more about each other in the process. In collaboration with Cimar of Turalis/Wildhopps a.k.a. the King of Fluff! Visit his page for the larger story this one is a part of.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 Ski Patrol**

 **Written by Johnsoneer**

 **Edited by Cimar**

* * *

104 degrees...

Judy was about ready to resign herself to the sweet embrace of death. Zootopia was experiencing one of their worst heat waves on record and the air conditioning decided to break now of all times. She laid sprawled on her sofa, an ice-pack on her neck that had already melted away into a sickly warm and wet towel. She kept herself hydrated well enough, but the fan seemed to do little to cool her off. She even got into her workout clothes to stay cool, even though she had no intention of going outside.

She was already not feeling well before the air conditioning broke. It was only Nick insistence that she take a sick-day that kept her home and not at the precinct that day. What helped her feel productive was that she was able to sign for the delivery for their new fancy couch, which she was now using as a respite from any physical activity. How ironic that a sick-day ended up being the one day their apartment was uninhabitable.

Zootopia had climate-controlled districts, but even those were subject to the ebbs and flows of the greater climate around them. Some days Sahara Square was actually pretty brisk, despite the heat wall. Others, the snow in Tundra Town would melt and become rain before it ever hit the ground. Tundra town was located right along the river so that any snowmelt could run off easily without causing any flooding.

Today was especially bad though, the news reporting that only the areas close to the climate wall were actually holding any snow. The mayor urged those with thicker fur to stay inside where the air conditioning was working. Chief Bogo no doubt sent all his thicker-furred officers into Tundra town or on desk duty, which meant Nick was as snug as a bug in an ice bath. She rolled her head and looked at the thermostat one more time.

105 degrees.

"Screw it," she said and quickly pulled out her phone. She dialed her husband and kept her head against the couch. He picked up after a few rings.

"Heya fluff, how're ya feeling? Still nauseous?"

"Kill me," she groaned.

"Ah. I take it the air conditioning broke. Did they drop off the couch yet?"

"Yeah."

"And where are you now?" Nick asked.

"On the surface of the sun."

"You're _home_? Fluff, I'm just as excited for that new couch as you are, but it's not worth you getting heatstroke."

"The delivery guys doubted whether or not I could put it all together myself . . ." she explained, quickly realizing that talking made her feel even hotter somehow.

"And my crazy bunny just _had_ to prove them wrong, didn't she?"

"Euugghh," Judy groaned again, making her discomfort even more prevalent in her tone.

"Did you call a repair guy for the A/C?" Nicked suggested.

"Euugghhh!" Judy groaned louder. Thankfully, her husband knew her well enough to understand her when she communicated in groans.

"They're booked till tomorrow, aren't they? Well, temperatures are supposed to go down to the 90s tonight, so you should probably spend the rest of the day somewhere with A/C."

"I don't want to risk getting any of the neighbors sick," she argued and pinched her fingers on her brow. "Can you please take a break from work and come kill me please?"

"Fluff," Nick scolded her.

"I leave everything to Clawhauser."

"Carrots."

"I'd tell you to cremate me, but I'll probably be a pile of ash by the time you get home anyway."

"Alright, alright, Judy. I've got an hour lunch break coming up that I'm supposed to spend at the precinct, but I'll sneak out. I'm coming to get you and I'm taking you to Fitwik's to get your mind off this heat, my treat."

Judy's eyes widened as Nick's suggestion earned her attention. She grew an excited smile and sat up straight on the sofa, despite it causing her to feel a bit dizzy. It had been some time since their last excursion on the PIXAR machine, and her current reality seemed hell bent on melting her into a puddle. Perhaps this short break would be just enough to hold her over until things cooled down.

"You're a genius, Slick!" she said with an excited giggle.

"Of course I am. And hey, if you're feeling better, maybe after work could be a good time to 'break in' that new couch?" Nick suggested, his voice dripping in ribaldry.

"That PIXAR session better be pretty darn amazing if you think I'm going to be in any mood in this heat."

"Challenge accepted, Carrots," Nick said. She could practically _hear_ the smile on his face. "I'll pick you up in 10."

Nick was over in half that time. He picked her up and she immediately started to feel a little better as the police cruiser had the A/C on full blast. Normally she would disapprove of using ZPD property for personal use like this, but she was desperate. They quickly made their way over to Fitwik's establishment, which was thankfully not very busy in the middle of a weekday.

"What'll be today, you two?" he asked them as he guided them to the chairs under the alternative-reality device. Judy always thought the PIXAR machine felt a bit like the dentist's office because of the way the chairs leaned backwards and held them still.

"Something that will cool us off," Nick said to the panther and gave Judy a wink.

"I think I've got just the one for you. Care to see it first?"

"Surprise us," Judy said and laid her head back. Despite the air conditioning in both the cruiser and the building they were now in, Judy's head was still light from the intense heat before. She was eager to escape.

"Alrighty then, enjoy!" he said and executed the startup. Nick took a hold of her paw before the visors lowered down and covered both of their faces.

"Love you," he said softly.

"Love you too," she said, before the world went black.

* * *

The van jostled as it rolled over another pothole, arousing Nick from his third consecutive road trip nap. The road was getting rougher and rougher as they ascended higher into the mountains. The other passengers were more talkative now, discussing how beautiful the scenery was as they passed by the mountainous terrain. The entire earth seemed to be covered in crisp white powder, save for the occasional tree or rock formation. He yawned and brushed the fur on his face to shuffle out any nap-fur.

"Ah, he lives!" a friendly voice said from his side. Nick groaned and remembered why he took so many naps on the way up the mountains. He was not in the mood for any polite small talk with a stranger.

"No he doesn't," Nick said and closed his eyes again, wishing for sleep again.

"Hey, you don't wanna fall asleep right now. We'll be there in a minute and we're going to hit the ground running. Or, I guess, hit the slopes skiing," his neighbor said. The tall deer tweaked his glasses and smiled down at Nick from the isle seat.

"Hmm, I figured we'd be getting some kind of orientation at the resort," said Nick.

"First time at Royal Peaks?" the deer asked rhetorically.

"Do I look like I am swimming in cash?" Nick asked back.

"I figured you wouldn't be up here as a patrol officer if you could afford the lift tickets. Why else do you think this van is filled with university students?"

"Because a seasonal job like this lets you ski for free and drink like crazy once the lifts close," Nick stated flatly.

"True," the deer said with a nod. "But you're not a student. If you were, you'd be hitting on those wolf twins in the back."

Nick peered over his shoulder towards the back of the van where two rather attractive sisters were having fun teasing a rather buff cougar who was trying his darndest to impress them. "Looks like muscle-beach back there is way ahead of me," Nick mused. "Besides, maybe I will later. The night is young," Nick said and rubbed his eyes.

"It's 10am."

"The night is _very_ young," Nick corrected himself. "What about you? I don't see you making any moves. Unless you're into foxes and waking me up is your way of breaking the ice."

"Foxes yes, dudes no. I'm a grad student, and it's not exactly kosher for the T.A.s to flirt with the undergrads. Though there are plenty of opportunities up at the resort. This'll be my third winter break here and I haven't struck out yet."

"You have expensive taste in girls," Nick said with a scoff.

"Nah, I just use them to get into the jacuzzis. Everything else is a bonus," the deer jested.

"Such a swindler," Nick mocked. "Myself? I'm not here for the company."

"You're not here for vacation either. You're here to escape something," the deer concluded. This made Nick's brow furrow as he looked up at his deer companion.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Six hours in this van and you haven't called, texted, or even spoken with anyone until just now. I also spoke to the driver when we passed Bunny Burrows. He says you weren't added to the list until this morning. I doubt anyone even knows you're gone back in Zootopia."

Nick could not help from being a little impressed as this deer was able to figure out a lot of truth just by observation. It was true that he did not fancy returning home any time soon, though there were not exactly many back home who would come looking for him anyway.

"Can't say I blame you," the deer continued. "A job like this, with crew this young? It's a great way to start fresh. We'll all probably part ways and never see each other again after this, so there's no pressure at all to be overly polite or concerned about appearances. It's like a two month long hall-pass on life."

"What's your name?" Nick asked him with a cocked eyebrow. The deer smiled and extended a hoof.

"John."

"Nick Wilde," he said and shook his hand firmly. "Lookin' forward to the hall-pass you're talking about. Any advice for a new guy on the block?"

"Well, how's your skiing?" he asked.

"Been a while, but I used to ski all the time, so I'm sure I can teach these college kits a thing or two."

"Good. The only other things to watch out for are the owner and the Ranger. If you see a tall lion with a red scarf and a golden mane that shimmers in the sunlight, that's the owner of the resort so be especially nice to him. He likes flattery."

"Good to know. What about the 'Ranger'? Who's that?"

"That'll be our boss for the season," John explained.

"He a stickler on the rules?"

"No no, _she_ is lovely and an absolute joy to be around. She's got policy to follow, sure, but she's always been cool about us having some fun after hours."

"Then why watch out for her?"

"There's always one or two young males on the trip who try their luck at scoring with the Ranger, and it never ends well."

"So be nice to the owner, and don't try to nail the boss. That's some real 'insider scoop' there, Johnny," Nick said sarcastically.

"And have some fun too," John said with a light shove to Nick's shoulder. "Otherwise, what's the point, right?"

"Sure," Nick said and gazed back out the window. He saw the shimmering lights of a beautiful hotel resort nestled at the base of one of the most beautiful mountains he had ever seen. It looked designed, like a skilled smith had crafted it somewhere and placed it on display. Even the chairlifts that normally looked jagged and out of place on other mountains seemed woven in with the scenery beautifully. It was also taller than anything Nick had skied before, but that only got him anxious to stretch his legs.

They drove up and finally piled out of the van, picking up their ski equipment on the side and grouping up. After strapping on their boots and wandering about aimlessly for a minute, John finally got everyone's attention.

"Up here, everyone."

They followed him to an area nearby the closest ski lift. The snow crunched satisfyingly beneath their feet, and the cold breeze blew through the fur on Nick's neck soothingly. The others all seemed eager to chat about the after-work activities and jesting at each other's expense. _Let the kids be kids_ , Nick thought.

Soon enough, they were all grouped around the bank of a decent sized cabin that looked a bit like an office building above the lowest chairlift. Home base, if Nick had to guess. Though there seemed to be no one there to greet them. Just as everyone began to wonder where the welcoming party would be, Nick could hear the unmistakable sound of ski's carving through groomed snow, starting off softly and quickly growing louder.

Nick heard a yip, and looked up as a small figure catapulted off of the roof of the cabin and soared over the crowd. Everyone stared upward in awe, a few ducking down as the jumper flew over them and landed on the other side of the group on powerful legs. The skier stopped abruptly, kicking up a wave of fresh snow and slammed her poles into the ground.

"Wow," Nick muttered under his breath as the skier removed her goggles. Looking closer, he saw that the skier was a bunny, wearing a thick winter jacket and purple scarf that complimented her violet eyes nicely. She wore an energetic smile on her face as she surveyed the group of recruits for the season.

"Hi everyone!" she said with a wave of one pole. "Welcome to the Royal Peaks Ski Patrol."

The crowd gathered around her closer and a few of the taller mammals got down on a knee to respectfully listen as the bunny continued to explain things. She looked over the crowd with a satisfied smile, right up until she found Nick. Her smile wavered, looking surprised at first, then cocked an eyebrow.

"Hey John, who's the fox?" she said and pointed a pole in his direction. _Well she's direct,_ he thought.

"Joined up last minute," John explained. "He's not a student."

"Huh," the Ranger said and eyed him up and down again.

"There a problem?" Nick ventured as politely as he could.

"Not really," she admitted. "Just didn't have time to look you up, so you're a bit of a wild card."

"Hmm, 'Wildecard', I like the sound of that." John shot him a sour look, clearly annoyed though he could not fathom why. Nick shrugged him off, knowing full well it was meaningless flirt from a fox to a bunny. The bunny looked around at everyone else and resumed smiling.

"Alright everyone, there are a few things we need to go over, like your responsibilities, hours, lodging, and all that important stuff. But first things first, I need to know you can ski. So, if you'll be kind enough to buckle in and head over to this ski lift over here, we'll go up and meet back here at the office for orientation. Any questions?"

"Yeah," one of the wolf sisters said with a raised paw. "How are you testing out our skiing ability? Should we stick close to you on the way down?"

"Great question Darcy. The lift behind me goes to Glass Edge Peak, and the only way down from there are double black diamonds. If you make it down in one piece, you pass," she said and confidently smiled at the recruits, some of whom looked more than a little nervous. "If you are not confident that you can make it down, then please walk back to the van and head home. No shame in it, this is a tough job. But, if you go up there and need rescuing, then you'll need to spend the night in the infirmary which will cost the same as a night in the presidential suite in the resort. So please, for all our sakes, if you're not a strong skier, the van is waiting."

Nick was more than confident that he could hold his own, but he was still surprised the bunny would put new recruits through such a gauntlet this way. A few of the others nervously looked at each other. The only one who shared his confidence seemed to be John, so Nick guessed that he was the only there one who had done this before.

To Nick's surprise, the buff cougar stepped forward and bashfully made his way past the bunny and towards the parking lot. After talking a big game to those wolf sisters earlier, apparently he was more bark than bite. Though, he was probably wise to take the embarrassment now rather than risk injury and further embarrassment later, so Nick had to give him credit for that.

"There's one every season," the bunny said with a nod. "Any more questions?"

"Yeah," a nearby raccoon said. "Who are you exactly?"

"Oh! How silly of me. I'm the peak ranger for this mountain. If you ever need help, just call for 'Ranger' in your radios," she said and gestured to the insignia on her jacket proudly. There was a shining mountaintop emblazoned in yellow on her chest that she wore like a police badge. Nick eyes shot up to John, who gave him a knowing smirk. No wonder he had been annoyed at his flirt earlier. It was literally the only thing he warned him not to do.

"Any more? No? Alright, Skis on!"

Nick was quick to jump into his skis and follow the bunny down the short hill and towards the lift. She was surprisingly fast, and caught a chair all to her own before Nick could catch up to her. John fell in behind Nick and joined him on the trip up the mountain. The wind was a little stronger a few meters in the air above the slopes. Despite the beautiful landscape, Nick could not tear his gaze away from the bunny sitting alone one chair ahead.

"You idiot," John laughed. "I told you not to fall for the ranger."

"You said not to _bang_ the ranger, and I'm not doing either. She's a bunny," Nick said and gestured to her chair.

"And?" John said with his arms folded across his chest.

"And bunnies and foxes don't have a long history of getting along."

"That won't matter to her. Did it not strike you as odd that she's the only bunny we've seen so far? How many males do you think she gets to see up here?"

Nick blinked. He did not realize it, but John had a point. The majority of mammals in the van were all thick-furred mammals like wolves or bears that could handle winter winds easier. In fact, he couldn't remember ever seeing a bunny on the slopes before, assuming it would be too cold for them. Bunnies did, however, hang around in large groups for the most part, so it was odd to see a bunny so isolated out in the mountains.

"Hold on there, Johnny. I thought you didn't want me to hook up with the boss. Why are you suddenly trying to get me to cross species lines here?"

"I'm just saying she wouldn't write you off because you're a fox."

"What's the deal with her anyway? She into females or something?"

"I don't think so. It's just that whenever I saw a guy make a pass, she shoots them down."

"Maybe she just hasn't met the right type yet. I am carrot colored, after all," Nick said with a smirk.

"Okay, she might write you off for being a smartass," John said and slugged his shoulder again. Nick was beginning to like this deer.

"Relax, I didn't take this job to get amorous with a cute girl . . . . though if her tail wiggles like that regularly, I might change my mind," Nick said as he caught a little shuffle from the small of the Ranger's back. John could only roll his eyes, resigning his efforts into an 'at least I tried' attitude.

Eventually they ascended the steepest part of the mountain, and Nick began to eye the icy slopes with a mounting sense of unease. As capable a skier as he was, he usually liked to warm up before getting to the dangerous stuff. But then again, they might need to be called into a dangerous situation without warning, so the exercise did seem appropriate, albeit bold. By the time Nick and John made their way to the edge of the first run, the bunny was gone.

"Huh," Nick said looking down what was essentially a cliff-face. "She wasn't kidding about the whole sink or swim thing."

"Age before beauty," John said and gestured for Nick to go first.

"Are you blind? Beauty is already halfway down the mountain," Nick said before he lowered his goggles over his eyes and kicked off after her.

God it felt good to get the wind in his fur again. The howling wind rushed up to meet his ears as he banked turn after turn. Thankfully there were not many other skiers on the slopes that morning, so Nick had all the freshly groomed snow he could handle. After a few more turns, the path flowed to the right past a few trees before leveling out a little.

Nick spotted the Ranger waiting around the bend at the top of the next slope, watching him closely. He figured he'd give her a taste of what he could do, since she seemed apt on observing his skiing ability. He abruptly turned and jumped off of a nearby tree stump, landing backwards and finishing out the rest of the run in reverse, looking over his shoulder to see where he was going. He turned again, swooping around the bunny and stopping just at the tip of the next slope, shooting her an arrogant, yet pleased glance.

"You get points for being fast," she admitted with a nod. "But none for being a show off."

"And here I thought you were looking for strong skiers. Maybe you were just eager to see me in action," Nick said with a sly smile on his face.

"You've got skill, I'll give you that. Where did you learn to ski?" she asked him sincerely.

"Never skied before. I just strapped on the boots and hoped for the best. I'm just naturally gifted I guess," he jested, causing her to roll her eyes adorably. She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for him to really answer her question. He smiled and shook his head. "I spent a few years living with my uncle, who was a lift operator at Deer Valley. He got me a job as a waiter at the lodge that was halfway up the mountain, so I got good at getting from point A to point B," Nick explained. In truth, Royal Peaks reminded him a lot of his teenage stomping ground, only less crowded and more expensive.

The Ranger gave an impressed whistle. "Free lift passes at Deer Valley? You were a lucky kid."

"I wouldn't call my circumstances 'lucky', but the skiing was a nice perk."

"So you took this job to stretch out old muscles?" she guessed.

"Something like that," he said and decided to change the subject. "We waiting for everyone else?"

The Ranger was about to answer before the radio on her shoulder chimed and blared to life.

"Hey Hopps, you on the mountain yet?" a voice called out. She leaned into her microphone and hailed back.

"I'm halfway down Glass Edge, what's going on Mark?"

"We've got a pair of medium snowmobiles missing at the resort this morning," the voice said through the static.

"You think they were stolen?"

"I have a feeling it's a joyrider. The hotel staff says we've got a group of rich college kids that are raising all kinds of hell. Wouldn't put it past them to think they're above the rules, eh?"

"We'll keep our eyes peeled, Mark," the Ranger said confidently and signed off. Nick raised his eyebrows at her.

"That kind of thing happen often?" he asked her.

"Not too much, but we're the ski patrol, so it's our job to find them and bring them in," she said, letting a few ounces of pride shine through her voice as she spoke about her job.

"And if they run?"

The Ranger smiled wickedly. "Then we catch them."

As if on cue, Nick saw the rabbit's ears twitch and turn down the mountain. Nick followed her gaze and heard the distant sounds of screaming two-stroke engines cascading up the mountain side. He saw two tiny black dots as small as ants emerge from the trees at the bottom of the run. They were speeding up an easier run where there was much more skier traffic and recklessly veered from side to side.

The ranger kicked into gear immediately and leaned back into her shoulder. "Mark, I got a twenty on our snowbike jackers! They're headed up Fluff Bluff, I'm engaging."

"Roger that, I'm calling the sheriff's office now," Mark answered. The rabbit looked seriously at Nick, who was waiting for her to make the first move.

"There's a red plastic cord tied to the keys of the snowmobiles. If they try to run, yank on that cord and it will kill the engine. Got it?"

"What if they go up a slope? We can't chase snowmobiles uphill," Nick argued.

"Glass Edge is too steep for them to go up, and the next uphill route is a half mile away. Get those keys before they make it there!"

Before Nick could get another word in, the Ranger kicked off and zoomed down the mountain with blinding speed. He quickly fell in behind her and kept his nose low as the wind filled his ears again. This time, his speed and turns were much more careful and focused, rather than the fun trip he had down the first half of the peak. He saw the bunny's ears flutter in the wind like two small flags as she sped forward. Nick noticed her powerful legs and long feet made her a natural speed demon on skis.

They finally hit the bottom of the steep run and followed the two snowmobiles down a flatter path surrounded by cliff walls on either side. They caught up to them easily, and the Ranger saw fit to shout at them instead of sneaking up behind them.

"Hey!" she bellowed. "Pull over and stop the snowbikes!"

Nick saw both riders, a sheep and a rather large sea otter, look back at them over their shoulders. Their eyes widened as they saw the seal on the bunny's jacket, realizing they were in trouble.

"Gun it!" the otter shouted to his friend, and they took off. The engines screamed to life even louder and they accelerated. Nick pumped his skis a little harder, but since they exited the steeper slopes, he had a hard time keeping up. Thankfully, the path veered downwards and he was able to get some speed back up. The Ranger pursued the sheep, so Nick focused on the otter.

"You're only making this worse," Nick shouted as he got closer. He pulled the same move he did to show off for the Ranger earlier and bounced off a snowbank, turning around and skiing in reverse. He skillfully brought himself to the side of the snowmobile and rested an elbow on the front console as if they were completely still.

"Come on, buddy. I love a good time as much as the next guy, but don't you think you're pushing it?" Nick said calmly. The otter looked both stunned and aggravated at Nick's maneuver and turned the snowbike to one side hard, trying to shake him off. Nick held on and got himself in front of the vehicle, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Tried to be nice," he said and, in one fluid motion, swiped his paw over the console and yanked the key from the ignition. The engine immediately sputtered and died, coming to a stop so quickly, the otter actually lurched forward and flew off the seat, rolling onto the snow a few times. Nick continued to glide smoothly down the hill with one paw clutching the key and the other gently waving at the miscreant. With cliff-faces on either side of him, there would be nowhere for him to go but back down to the resort.

The he turned himself around and watched as the Ranger held onto the seat of the other snowmobile. The sheep tried in vain to shake her off a few times, swaying from side to side and break checking hard. When nothing worked, he grunted angrily and swiped his paw at the rabbit, trying to land a hit. His paw struck her shoulder and caused her to lose her grip.

"Hey!" Nick barked, suddenly very cross with the sheep as he sped forward. He pumped his skis harder and joined up beside the Ranger, who was catching back up with him. They sped by a few other skiers, some of whom yelped as they got out of the way of the belligerent thief. They were nearing the next crossing and would lose him uphill if they didn't kill the engine soon.

"Get his attention!" the Ranger shouted, and Nick nodded. The pathway rounded a turn to the left and Nick cut across the bend through a dense set of trees. He popped back out onto the path ahead of the snowmobile and reversed his skis again, starring the thief down. The sheep grunted and gunned the engine, seeming intent on running Nick over. Before he could, the Ranger pulled a stunt that Nick would describe as, 'crazy but effective' for years to come.

The bunny zoomed forward around the snowmobile and curled up the side of a nearby ice block. She used it as a ramp and leapt into the air, rolling upside down and flying towards the sheep, who ducked his head reflexively. She reached out, still upside down in the air, and snagged the key from the ignition before completing her roll and landing steadily on her skis on the other side. The engine died again, and the abrupt stop caused the sheep to fly from the seat and over the machine. He rolled and bounced on the snow with painful yelps before he finally came to a stop.

"Geughhh," he groaned with a face full of snow, looking up to find two ski patrollers looking down at him disapprovingly. He finally surrendered and dug his face back into the snow shamefully, not wanting to meet their angry gaze any longer.

"Good work," the Ranger said, turning to Nick. "Sneaky move cutting through the trees like that."

"I can be slippery when I want to be," Nick mused.

"Really," she said with cocked eyebrow. "You got a name, Slick?"

"Wilde. Nick Wilde," he said confidently.

"Huh. No wonder you liked the sound of 'Wildecard'," she realized. She removed her goggles and looked him over one more time. "So, Nick, I'll need a partner this season, and you're the only trainee in my height category."

"You want me to be your partner because I'm short?"

"You want the the spot or not, Slick?" she said and offered her paw. Nick looked over the bunny again, noting the fiery energy behind her eyes and the sincere expression on her face. Normal mammals would not have noticed, but Nick caught the slightest tremor in her paw, which struck him as odd. He was very good at reading mammals, and he could not help but think she was putting on a front. Deep down, there was something that was making her nervous. Curiosity for this new mammal drew him closer, and he shook her paw firmly.

"You got it, Ranger," he said and smiled at her. She smiled back.

"Call me Judy. And for the record, my tail only shakes when I'm excited."

Nick's eyes widened and he promptly bit down on his tongue. His bashful expression seemed to be just what she was looking for as she confidently smiled at him with satisfaction.

 _Ears,_ Nick noted for future reference. _She's got very good ears._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 Ski Patrol**

 **Written by Johnsoneer**

 **Edited by Cimar**

* * *

Being a Ski Patrol Officer came surprisingly naturally to Nick. Not that the work was as easy as he was hoping for, but it never really felt like work to him. He expected there to be routine patrols and spending endless hours in one place checking lift tickets, but in reality, the job was much more fluid. Judy would take him to just about every corner of the mountain and assist skiers with various problems, everything from a lost child to an injured skier trapped in a crevice. Nick proved more than capable because of his ability to work mammals over and his impressive skill at charming and calming frantic skiers.

While Judy was much more 'by the book', Nick struck up conversation with the patrons of Royal Peaks, learning about their families and tastes in food. They were always much more amicable afterwards if they needed the skiers to follow certain rules or vacate the area. Nick found himself enjoying it unironically; the ins and outs of day to day work. While there were no more exciting fiasco's like the snowmobile chase on day one, Nick was still able to put his skills to use and keep his mind off of his life back in Zootopia.

The Ranger, or 'Fluff' as he called her, was a workaholic in the most admirable way. Even the annoying parts of work like the early start times and the menial patrol tasks she approached with an enthusiasm that began to rub off on him. Perhaps she had a harder time dealing with difficult skiers, but she always smiled as she greeted them regardless. She carried that energy throughout the day, and Nick began to wonder where she was getting it all from.

Nick wondered a lot about his boss and partner. There were times when they quipped and snipped at each other, but there were other times when she would do something that took him completely by surprise. One such time was when Nick was helping teach a group of kids about slope safety, he caught her stealing a glance at him while working with a young panther cub. The cub was sad because he missed his parents during the day, so Nick joked and played and tickled the youngster eagerly until a smile was a bit more permanent feature on his little face. Nick looked up to see Judy watching him intently, which she quickly realized and looked away bashfully before continuing her own work. She wasn't smiling, nor rolling her eyes, so the look was brand new to him, and it puzzled him just as much as it intrigued him.

What was also odd was how the Ranger's quarters were so far removed from everyone else. The entire platoon of patrol officers were housed in a barracks-style cabin which featured a warm fire, bunk beds, and a fridge full of beer...which the college kids made use of almost nightly. But while Nick enjoyed their lively company and roughhousing, the Ranger would bid them all good night and take a snowmobile on a narrow pathway further down the mountain. According to his newest and deerest friend John, she had her own private cabin where she kept to herself. It was always a little disappointing because right as the group was beginning to unwind and bond after work, she would disappear. It was a strange feeling to have for Nick, considering he spent all day every day with her on the slopes.

It was early one Wednesday morning when he decided to bring it up with her. The two of them were on the edge of Raven's Rift, which was a dangerous but exhilarating slope that only the most promising skiers could tackle. It was shaped like a giant bowl carved into the mountain side, and since it was so steep with so few trees, it was prone to avalanches. The ski patrol's job was to wake up early after a night of snowfall and drop small concussive explosives onto the mountainside using a drone. The idea was that the explosives would set the avalanches off before the skiers could get buried by them, and while Nick did not consider himself a morning mammal, he was always game to blow something up.

"We should give these bombs names," Nick said as he flew the drone higher along the ridge.

"Why would we give names to things we're about to explode and bury in snow?" Judy asked with a scoff.

"What better way to dedicate a memorial to old friends? I'll go first," Nick explained and held his fingers over the release triggers. "I'm gonna call this one Terry, after this stubborn elephant back in Zootopia who refuses to serve ice cream to foxes."

"Ahh," Judy said, catching on to Nick's idea. She hopped over to the snowmobile and opened up her thermise full of her usual morning joe. "To Terry!" she toasted.

"To Terry," Nick agreed and pulled the trigger. The small red stick of dynamite fell from the hovering quadrocopter gracefully, landing in the snow nose-first. A few moments later, they saw a red flash along the side of the mountain, followed by a loud pop that was more than certain to wake a few sleeping hotel guests in the name of 'safety first.' Nick was able to get a little snow to trickle down from the blast, but the miniature avalanche did not last very long.

"My turn," Judy said, taking the controls from Nick. "This one is named Lucy, after one of my sisters who ruined the only date I ever went on in college."

"How'd she manage that? I figured you'd have an easy time ruining a date all on your own," Nick jabbed.

"Keep talking, Slick, and the next one will be named 'Nicholas'," Judy said and hit the release. Once again the explosive sailed down onto the slope and erupted in fire and smoke, sending another line of snow trickling down the mountainside. "If you must know, Lucy came in drunk while we were having dinner and started ranting off all my poorest qualities, like how I'm a little boyish and work all the time, so he left me with the bill. I gave up on dating in college after that."

"Well," Nick said, pulling the controls from her and bringing the drone a little further down the mountain. "I'd say Lucy saved you a headache if the guy just up and left after hearing you're tough and determined."

Judy gave him a sideways glance, expecting him to slide some underhanded, quick-witted insult in with what was a very genuine compliment, but he never did.

"Alright, this one here is Chuck," he said with confidence.

"And who is Chuck?"

"Chuck is a beaver I knew back when I tried to join the junior ranger scouts when I was a kid. Trust me, I could name a stick of dynamite after each guy in that troop, but Chuck get's preference. Have a nice flight, Chuck!" he said and dropped another bomb. This one blew and caused a larger chain of snow to slide down the mountainside, kicking up a bit like white smoke as it drifted down.

"Nice one," Judy complimented her work. "What did Chuck do to earn such a special place on Raven's Rift?"

"He uh . . . he muzzled me," Nick said hesitantly.

"What?"

"Yeah, uhm. . . I tried to join the troop when I was a kid, but foxes aren't exactly trusted amongst most prey circles, so...he muzzled me and they laughed me out of the room."

"Nick . . . that's terrible," Judy said with a concerned look on her face.

"Not the end of the world," he shrugged. "Started hanging out with a bad crowd after that, so my mom sent me to live with my uncle at Deer Valley to set me straight. I met tons of prey and predators up there that were much kinder to me, so in a way I guess it worked, just not as much as mom might have wanted."

"Wow. You want to drop a few more Chucks while we're at it?" Judy offered.

"Nah we've only got two left, and it's your turn!" Nick said and thrust the controls back into her paws. She smiled and steered the drone towards the side of the mountain they had not touched yet, positioning it just above the tree line.

"Alright then, if we're brining up gradeschool dick bags, I dub this death-stick Gideon," she said firmly and released the explosive. She had to admit it was liberating to watch things explode in the name of old enemies.

"And what did Gideon do to earn such an honor?" he said, watching as the explosive set into the snow.

"He was a grade-A jerk, callin' me a dumb bunny and making fun of my dreams. When we were kids, he scratched me right across the face and left a nasty mark."

"Ouch. Maybe we could fly this thing back to Bunny Burrows and pay Gideon's house a visit," Nick said as the charge blew, sending another impressive slide of snow cascading downwards.

"Nick!" she said with a laugh. "That's terrible."

"It's okay, feline's have quick reflexes, so I'm sure he'd land on his feet."

"He's a fox, actually," Judy said. Nick dropped his smug smile and looked at Judy in surprise. All this time, she treated him like his species was non-existent, like she did not even notice he was a fox. It was her most endearing quality, so he assumed she had plenty of amicable experiences with foxes before. The truth was she had been bullied and actually attacked by a fox long ago, yet she never made it an issue with him once.

"Don't worry, Slick. Foxes are jerks, bunnies are jerks, everyone's a jerk. You're just a jerk that's easy to be around," she said with a light smile, watching the snow roll to a stop as Bomb-Gideon's work was now done. Nick hesitated, not sure of what to say to her. There was no way she could have known, but the casual compliment really meant a lot to him.

"Okay," he said after a moment, taking the controls again. He zoomed the drone to the highest point of the mountain he could reach and positioned the last bomb ready to go.

"Who's this one?" Judy asked.

"This one is named Judy," he said and hit the release.

"Wha . . . you hateful sack of horseradish!" she scolded him as 'Judy' flew down and plopped into the snow. "There had better be another Judy in your life."

"Nah, one is a pawful enough," he said with a smile.

"What on earth did I do to deserve that?" she said, folding her arms over her chest. Nick smiled at her and leaned down onto his knees.

"This is for every time you disappear right before the rest of us start having fun every night. They keep offering you to join in, but you always hop on that snowmobile and vanish."

"Well sue me for not wanting to get piss drunk with some college hooligans!" she spat.

"Hey, no one is getting 'piss-drunk', as you so eloquently put it. None of us would be in any shape to work afterwards if that were the case. Besides, John is a fun hooligan, and Mark showed up last time too. You're the only one I'm missing," he explained.

There was a slight pause. "That you're missing?" she repeated with a smile.

"That we're missing, and yeah, we all wonder when you'll join us for some fun. So how 'bout it, Fluff?"

Judy looked down at the ground pensively, a little annoyed by Nick's insistence, but more timid than anything else. What confused Nick was that she was never shy around the other patrollers. In fact, she was downright gregarious, so he could not put a finger on why she was so hesitant to hang out with everyone after work. Just then, the explosive went off and sent the largest bank of snow yet barreling down the mountain. It roared as it tumbled past the trees and through the previous piles of snow they set off earlier. Bomb-Judy was the best one by far.

"I'll think about it," she said and downed the rest of her coffee.

* * *

"Okay, my turn!" John said and opened another can of beer with a crackle and fizz. The other's sat on the cozy furniture nestled around the fireplace as the wind lightly blew snow up against the dark window. Mark, a large moose sat by the fire on his side enjoying their game. The wolf twins, Darcy and Danny, shared a large chair across from Nick. John was on his feet, though noticeably stumbling as he walked from one side of the living room to the other.

"Think you'll beat the fox this time, eh?" Mark said with a smile.

"I've got him this time," John said eagerly. "So this was back in undergrad at ZU, I was a lowly sophomore majoring in business management at the time."

"Lie!" Darcy said eagerly and pointed an accusing finger at the deer. "You majored in biology. You're a bio grad student now!"

"I did major in biology," John nodded, a sly smile growing on his face. "But that was after I changed it from business Junior year, so it was not a lie."

"Drink!" Danny said and smiled as her sister rolled her eyes and took a large swig from her can. John cleared his throat and continued his story.

"I played a little guitar during the summer months at night to earn a little cash on the side."

"Where did you play?" Nick asked.

"Flake's Donuts," John answered.

"Lie," Mark said confidently. "Flake's closes at 6pm, eh? Drink."

John rolled his eyes and growled at the moose for calling him out. He raised the can up to his lips and took a hearty swig as punishment before continuing again. "Fine, I played on the street corner. So I'm playin' one of my favorite tunes by Fur Fighters and getting really into it before some lion places a few dollars in my case-"

John's story was cut short as the door to the cabin swung open, letting in a breeze of winter winds and snowflakes before the newcomer closed it behind her and removed her hat and scarf. Nick's eyes widened as he watched Judy shake the snow from her long feet and folded her jacket up neatly by the door.

"Could that really be the Ranger?" Mark said with a hoof on his head. "Up is down, left is right, eh?"

"Sorry if I'm interrupting, guys. Thought I'd join you for a little while, if that's alright," Judy said. She looked over to Nick and smiled at him. He didn't say a word back. All he did was smile back at her and pat the open seat next to him, inviting her up onto the sofa. She lept up and folded her leg across her knee. One of the twins fished into the cooler and took out a small-sized can of Royal Peaks' local brew. It was still a tad big in Judy's paw, but she took a few bountiful sips from it all the same.

"Where is everyone else?" she asked.

"Either sound asleep back there or trying to score at the resort bar. We're here just enjoying each other's company and playin' fib-catcher," Nick explained. "John's up now."

"Fib-catcher?" Judy asked, looking puzzled.

"It's a game of my own design," Nick said and proudly put his paw on his chest. "Basically, one person tells a true story about themselves, trying to sneak a few lies into the story. If you catch a lie and call him out, he drinks. If you call him out and it's true, you drink. At the end of the story, for every lie they successfully got past you, you have to take another drink."

"I see," Judy said with a nod. "So it's a game of stories."

"Yeah, but Wilde over here cheats," John complained. "Before I ever get to gloat, he'll call us out on every lie as if he heard the story already."

"Hey," Nick said with mock hurt on his face. "What happened to all of that energy before? I thought you said you had me this time."

"I do!" John said, slurring his words a little. "Okay, to catch the Ranger up, I was a sophomore in college playing guitar for spare change during summer nights. I was playing this Fur Fighters song when a lion came by and dropped some money in my case. Mark got me on one lie so far."

"Okay," Judy said and nestled into the warm sofa by the fire. "Go for it."

"Alright, so I'm getting so into this song that I don't even look up to see who it was. I play out the whole song, and right as I get to the end the lion starts singing the rest of it out with me. When I finish, I look up at him, and it's David Growl himself!"

"What?" Judy said, the twins gasping as well. "That one's got to be a lie."

"Think so?" John said.

"I agree, there's no way," Mark said and shook his head in disbelief.

"Well then, loyal staff of Royal Peaks Resort, I hereby command you both to drink!" John said with a huge grin on his face.

"No!" Mark said with a gasp. "You played a song with David Growl?"

"Less gasping and more drinking," the deer commanded happily. Judy laughed and took a swig from her beer before demanding more from John.

"What happened next?"

"He thanked me for the song and gave me two backstage passes to his benefit concert that night," John said confidently. The others were quiet, looking back and forth at each other, waiting for someone to challenge his bold statement. Eyes finally rested on Nick, who sat quietly rolling the beer can in his paw.

"All done?" Nick asked.

"Done," John said with a nod. "Would you like to know how many drinks you're taking?"

"Three," Nick said back and let his eyes droop down into a half-lidded smirk.

"Wha? How did you know?" John said with a frown.

"The David Growl part was real, which makes the rest of it seem believable too. But you were not playing a Fur Fighters song at the time. I'm guessing it was one of his other bands. Also, he did give you tickets to his show, but it wasn't that night, it was a different night."

"Gah!" John muttered, stomping his feet on the floorboards angrily to the amusement of the rest of the group, who each shared a good chuckle at his expense.

"What about the last lie?" Judy asked him.

"David Growl never thanked him for the song. He is too cool to be so polite."

"And how could you know all of this?" Judy asked with a skeptic eyebrow raised.

"Fox's intuition."

"Darn . . . *gulp* . . . You . . .*gulp* . . . Fox!" John cursed as he drank out his punishment with one final gulp and crunched the edge of the can on the end of one of his antlers.

"That can't be good for your horns there, deerest," Mark said with a shake of his head.

"He's too drunk to care. He's been losing too much," Darcy said, shooting a glance back to where Nick and Judy sat. "I think it's your turn, Ranger."

"Me?" Judy said bashfully.

"It's not hard, just think up a story and pepper in some embellishments," Nick suggested. "But you'll have to make it a story I don't already know."

"Huh, that won't be easy. I've told you a lot already," Judy said, putting a paw to her chin and pondering her choice of stories.

"You talk too much, Fluff."

"That's Ranger Fluff to you, mister. And I think I've got a story for you," she said and slugged his shoulder. Nick laughed her off and nestled in for a story with a drink in his paw.

"The floor is yours, Ranger Fluff."

"Okay. . . so this was a few years back, after I finished college and started at the academy. I was bunking underneath this massive hippo named Higgins who liked to play practical jokes on me."

"I'm gonna say lie," Mark decided. "There's no way they'd bunk a rabbit underneath a hippo, otherwise you'd get squashed getting up in the morning, eh?"

"Nice one," Judy commended him. "His real name was Wolford and he was a timberwolf." She smiled at her co worker and took a swig from her can.

"Rewind a bit. What academy was this?" Nick asked her.

"The Zootopia Police Academy," Judy answered after she finished a tall gulp.

"Lie!" John said enthusiastically. "You'd be a cop right now if it wasn't."

"Drink," Judy commanded simply. The deer's jaw dropped at having lost another so quickly and got up to fetch himself another beer, grumbling under his breath.

"So what did this 'Wolford' guy do to prank you, eh?" Mark asked.

"Not just me, pretty much everyone. It was always pretty harmless, but he got himself a reputation as a jokester pretty quickly. One night, I noticed him sneaking out of the barracks, and instead of reporting him, I quietly followed him out."

"Lie," Nick said with confidence. "You tried to follow the rules first."

"Hugh," Judy sighed and took a drink. "Yeah, I woke up Snarlof and asked if we should report him. Snarlof was the one who suggested we follow him, so we tailed him quietly as he went to the training pool. Turns out he had a lady friend in town, a cougar, and they would sneak into the academy pool late at night and swim around."

"Hmmm," Nick said loud enough to catch her attention. "I'm betting this is all technically true, but from your blushing I can tell you're hiding something too."

"Ughh, fine. They were . . . skinny dipping," Judy said looked away bashfully. The poor rabbit was more than a little embarrassed by the memory. Mark's jesting was not helping either.

"Turns out you're a bit of a peeping polly there, eh?" he said with a laugh.

Judy tried her best to shrug him off and continued her story before any of the others could get one in as well. "Anyway, me and Snarlof hatched a plan to get him back for all his pranks, so we waited for just before he was about to kiss the girl before we struck."

"Struck? What did you do?" John asked with bated breath.

"Well . . . you know how timberwolves like to howl a lot? . . .Oh! I'm sorry if that was rude of me, girls," Judy said and covered her mouth in shame as she looked over at the twins. Darcy and Danny both shrugged her off and urged her to continue her story.

"You're not wrong. We howl a lot," Danny said, her sister nodding along.

"Wolford was a good example of that stereotype. So we waited for right before he was about to kiss her and we both howled as loud as we could!"

"Did he howl back?!" The Nick asked.

"Oh, he howled with gusto! The girl was furiously trying to shush him but he just kept going. Poor guy was belting it out so loudly he woke the drill seargent up. The last thing Snarlof and I saw before we headed back to our bunks is our drill instructor, this massive white polar bear, storm into the pool room in her jammies and start screaming at Wolford who is butt-naked in the pool with his girl."

"You clever bunny," Nick commended her prankery, offering her a light clap. The others all laughed and clapped along. "But," Nick continued, "The fact that you said 'white polar bear' was redundant, so I'm going to call that as a lie."

"Darn it, fox!" she said and took a stiff swig of her beer. "You are good at this. Yeah, it wasn't a polar bear, it was a Rhino, and he was pissed. Wolford got three weeks of kitchen and bathroom duty for that, and we all gave him the nickname 'Night Howler' after that."

"So is that the end of your story?" John asked, thinking back and wondering what lies he might have missed.

"That's it. I hear Wolford is doing well these days. He married that cougar and works as an officer in the city. . . so did I get you guys?" She wondered, her eyes darting back and forth

"If it wasn't the Hippo or the Academy thing, than I honestly have no idea," Danny remarked.

"Got me too," John nodded. Mark put a pensive hoof to his chin and thought for a moment, looking the rabbit he had worked numerous winters with up and down.

"One thing is not adding up, Ranger," Mark said. "If you did go to the Police Academy, then why aren't you an officer now, eh?"

Judy's face darkened a little, her eyes wandering down towards the fire. She swirled her drink in her paw for a moment before she forced a short smile as best she could.

"I flunked out," she murmured.

"Lie," Nick blurted out immediately. Judy looked up at him from her corner on the couch, noticing his confident glare. There was just no way a rabbit like the Ranger flunked out of the Police Academy. She must have quit for something better, or maybe she was making more money working for a rich resort. Nick's confidence was strong, right up until she smiled weakly at him one more time.

"Drink," she said simply. Nick's eyes widened, his smile fading from his face. The others got quiet as well, regarding their boss with concerned expressions.

"I'm . . . I'm sorry," Nick mumbled.

"Course you are. You lost, now drink," Judy said, her smile growing on her face. She tilted Nick's beer up from it's end and forced a few heavy swigs down. He gracefully accepted defeat, hoping by the very least it would help brighten her mood back up.

"I'll be damned, Ranger. You beat the fox at his own game!" John said and toasted to the rabbit's victory. The others followed in suit and returned the toast as the mood in the room gradually began to improve. Even though Judy was beginning to seem just a little tipsy, Nick did catch her look at her watch.

"Alright rabbit, give this fox a chance to earn his honor back. I have a new game for you, and it's all of you against me this time," Nick said and looked around the room challengingly.

"What's the game?" Judy asked him.

"I call it 'Figure out why I took this job'," Nick explained. "The rules are simple. You guess why I'm here, and if you're right, I'll drink every last one of your beers AND I'll take tomorrow's shift watching the kids. Guess wrong, and you drink."

"I don't think that's really fair, eh?" Mark said with an accusing finger. "You could be here for any number of reasons. There's no way to tell if we're getting closer to the right answer or not."

"Yeah," Judy agreed. "I say we get to ask you one yes or no question before each guess. That way we'll get closer."

"I'd say his punishment more than makes up for it," Darcy argued.

"Fine then. If we lose, we cover for you and you get the morning off tomorrow. How's that to even things out?"

"Hmmm," Nick pondered her offer. There was no real way they'd get the right answer completely, given how drunk John was and how much the others had in their systems, so it was a pretty easy way to earn the right to sleep in.

"Deal," he said and nodded towards the rest of the group. "The game is over when you finish your drinks."

"Okay, I guess I'll go first, eh? My question is, have you ever worked a job at a ski resort before?"

"Wait, Mark," Judy began, but Nick was quick to cut her off.

"Yes," he said with a cheeky grin.

"Darn it Mark, I knew that already!" Judy said with frustration directed at Nick. "He used to live with is Uncle in Deer Valley."

"Did you really?" John asked in amazement.

"Uh-uh, only one yes-or-no question per guess, now let's hear it," Nick told Mark. The poor moose was at a loss and decided to throw a wild guess.

"Uhm . . . did you get fired from your last job?" he asked.

"Drink," Nick commanded to Mark's chagrin. The moose raised the can to his lips and finished it off.

"Me next!" John said and eagerly leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. "I already know you're not here lookin' for love."

"How do you know that?" Judy asked.

"Because," John began, shooting a glance over to the wolf twins sitting across from him. "He hasn't laid the moves on either of them, and he'd be crazy not to." Darcy folded her arms across her chest and scowled at his ham-handed attempt at flirting.

"If that's your way of trying to get us to join you in the bunk tonight, it's not working," she scoffed.

"Speak for yourself sis," her sister said, smiling coyly at John who looked more than a little excited. Nick had enough of their flirting already.

"Ahem," Nick coughed and scowled at his friend. "Your guess?"

"I'm gonna say you're here because you can't afford vacation on whatever part-time gig you have back in Zootopia so this is your way of getting out of town," John guessed.

"Good try, but you still owe me some drinkin'," Nick said and pointed at the deer's beer. He sighed and downed the rest of it, looking the worse for wear by the second. There was more than a good chance this herbivore would pass out in his chair and never make it back to his bunk.

"My turn," Darcy cut in. "First, a question. Is there anyone missing you back in Zootopia? Anyone hoping to see you come home soon?"

Nick had to hand it to her for asking such a clever question. Either answer would write off lots of possibilities. He agreed to play the game, so he answered honestly.

"Mm-hmm," he said with a nod. Judy looked over at him for a moment hesitantly, right on the cusp of saying something else. She opened her mouth to speak, but decided better and instead sheepishly sipped her drink again.

"Okay then," the young wolfess said. "I think that this is a bachelor party of sorts. Maybe you're waiting to get married when you get back, or maybe you haven't popped the question yet, but I'd say either way you're here to do some soul-searching and find out if she's really worth it."

"My my, I must give you credit," Nick began. He could have sworn he saw Judy tense her grip around her drink in that moment. "You've got quite the imagination on you. But if I was ever so lucky to find someone like that, I wouldn't need a break to know she was worth it. You may now drink."

"Oh come on!" she cursed and lifted her drink up. There were only a few drops left anyway so she tossed the can aside with a 'harumph' and crossed her arms across her torso.

"Oh, oh, me next!" her sister Danny said eagerly. "That mammal who misses you back in Zootopia, is it your mom?"

"Yes," Nick said with a smile.

"Aha!" she exclaimed. "Then I wanna guess you're here because you got dumped. Wife left, girlfriend cheated, fiancé broke it off, any of those! You might hide it well, but you're here to nurse a broken heart amongst strangers!"

Nick smiled again, shaking his head. "Best guess so far, I'd say. But not the answer we're looking for. No vixen has had the honor of my company for some time."

"You should work on that," John slurred, not having the strength to lift his head from from the headrest on his chair. Danny finished her beer as well and gently placed it on the coffee table in front of her.

"Huh, all of you only had one guess left of beer, didn't you? I'd say this worked out nicely," Nick observed, looking at his drunken compatriots. John and Mark both resigned to defeat at this point, and the twins seemed content with looking on quietly.

"I've still got some left, Slick," Judy said, turning to face him directly.

"So I see. Care to venture a few guesses? You could just save us both the trouble and give me the morning off now."

"I've got at least two guesses worth in here, so let's not be so hasty. I get a question first, right?"

"Of course."

"Alright, so my first question is this: do you like it here?" Judy asked him.

The question caught Nick off guard and made him furrow his brow. Her face was very genuine, like it always was, but it seemed like a silly way to waste her question. He had a hard time trying to figure out what her play was, so he instead decided to play defense and keep his smug grin on his face like normal, waiting for her next tell.

"Yeah, sure I do," he said. "Free skiing, beer, good times with good company? Who wouldn't?"

"Sure," Judy said, nodding along. "Okay, so I need to guess now, right? I'm guessing you did something less than legal and are laying low for a while out here until the heat blows over."

"My my, really thinking like a cop, aren't you?" Nick said, placing a paw on his chest in a show of insult. "How dare you think I would ever do anything illegal. You hurt me, Ranger."

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I hurt the foxy's feewings?" Judy jested.

"You did indeed," Nick answered. "It'll make me feel better if you take a drink."

Judy did as instructed and sipped her beer, stopping just short of finishing it and looking back up at Nick. Oddly, she did not seem the least bit annoyed by guessing wrong.

"Got one more left in here. So I get another yes or no question, right?"

"Yeah, same rules as before," Nick said.

"And you have to answer it, right?" she clarified.

"Yup."

"Alright. Nick, would you . . . that is, would you ever consider . . ."

If her play was trying to disarm him, it was working well. He looked at her in confusion as she glanced at the floor with a sad gaze. It was as if she lost most of her desire to win the game and was simply going through the motions for him now. Her normal competitive spirit gave way to a milder, more hesitant bunny who spoke softly. Finally, after another moment of looking at the fire contemplatively, she sighed.

"Do you like blueberries?" she asked simply.

"Fluff, are you even trying anymore?" Nick asked her.

"Yes or no, Slick," Judy answered back, keeping her eyes on the fire.

"Yes, quite a lot. But I get the feeling there is something else going on here." For some reason, the Ranger saw fit to ignore him.

"I'm guessing you're here because you just wanted to ski."

"I . . . no, that's not it. Fluff, are you-"

He was cut off by the sight of Judy downing the rest of her beer in one go and placing the can on the table beside her. She picked up her gloves and began to place them back on her paws.

"Well, looks like you get the morning off, Slick. I still expect you at the lodge by lunchtime. I better get back before the wind gets too cold," she said and moved to leave.

"Judy," Nick said and reached out instinctively, placing a gentle paw on her shoulder. "Is there something wrong?"

She turned, looking up at him with wide, almost hopeful eyes. Nick could tell there really was something bothering her. The look on her face was both heartbroken and hopeful, like she was scared and happy at the same time. It was odd, he noticed, how such a small bunny could feel so warm to the touch. As quickly as her guard was dropped, it went right back up. She smiled at him, shaking her head and shrugging his paw off.

"I'm just beat, Nick. . . and it looks like they are too," she said and gestured to the others. Nick had practically forgotten they were not alone in the room. Every single one of their drinking partners had fallen asleep in their spots by the fire. The two wolves were nestled neatly together with one snout on top of the other. Mark was laying along the length of the fireplace on the floor with a pillow nestled under his large antlers and head. John laid back with his mouth wide open and breathing noisily.

"Amateurs," Nick scoffed. "You're sure everything is okay? Would you like some company on the way home? It can't be that far."

"Nah, Nick. I've done this too many times now to get lost, so don't worry about me. And uhm . . . thanks. Thanks for bringing me out here tonight. I had a great time," she said and smiled at him.

"Thanks for coming, Fluff," he said and returned her smile. She turned and made her way over to the rack where her coat and scarf were waiting for her. She wasted no time on ceremony, simply zipping up and heading out the door without another word. The cold wind blew in lightly for a moment before she closed the door behind her quietly enough so as not to wake everyone.

The outside air that took her place in the room wafted its way close enough to softly kiss Nick's nose.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 Ski Patrol**

 **Written by Johnsoneer**

 **Edited by Cimar**

* * *

That was the last Nick saw of the Ranger for a while. She was not there to wake him up early the next morning, but he figured she was just making good on their gamble from the previous night. Sadly, after many weeks on the job, his body was too eager to get going so he woke up naturally before sunrise still. He decided to take the morning for himself and meetup with the crazy rabbit on the slopes later. Then he could jab about how sweet victory tastes. She would roll her eyes and smile and soon he'd forget about that look she gave him the night before.

But a lazy morning only seemed to bring her back to his mind over and over again. She was going to say something important the night before, but she backed out. Nick could read mammals well enough, but it did not take a detective to deduce there was something wrong. Their drinking game was going perfectly well, then out of nowhere she stopped caring about winning.

Do you like it here? she asked him. At first, he thought it was a terrible waste of her question. After all, she had probably been wondering why Nick took the job as a ski patrol officer for some time, so no doubt she was at least curious. But it was as if she cared more about him liking Royal Peaks than about his past.

Then there was that look on her face. He had called her by her first name, and placed his paw on her shoulder; simple gestures to be sure. But she looked at him as if he offered a slave her freedom. There was a painful longing on her face that was now stained into his memory like red wine on carpet. Nick was a skeptic, but he was no idiot. This bunny was holding something out on him and, for the first time in many years, he dared to hope.

"That crazy bunny," Nick sighed as he finally rolled out of his bunk. He zipped up his jacket and found his skis without really thinking. Everything had become routine after the past few months. He glided down the first run, feeling grateful that the wind in his fur still felt the same. He needed the comfort of familiarity in a time like this.

On the chairlift ride up to the mid-mountain lodge, he had another few minutes to think. She was scared, but not of me, he reassured himself. It was one of the things he liked about her the most, how she never showed even the slightest flinch from his claws or teeth. But what exactly was she scared of? Perhaps she was nervous about allowing her subordinates to drink so openly in front of her, since she played by the rules so often. But if that was the case, why join in? Maybe it brought up uncomfortable memories for her. Considering her story about flunking the police academy, that was definitely possible. But that look. She didn't speak a word, yet she told him so much in just a few short seconds.

"Not much else it could be," he murmured as he disembarked the lift and made his way to the lodge. The mid-mountain lodge had a lunch room just for the patrollers, and every Monday they'd meet up to discuss weekly assignments. Everyone respected the Ranger's authority, but she let everyone get a word in on their preferences before doling out tasks. Today would be the first day since he arrived that he didn't stride up with Judy by his side. Still, he needed to put on a show of lavish victory since that's what they'd expect.

"What a lovely afternoon we're having!" he boasted as he walked inside. John and the twins were already there with their food, and the other tables were filled with various patrollers as well. John rolled his eyes and placed a hoof to his forehead at the sight of the gloating fox.

"Aaand the headache is back," he grumbled.

"Awww don't blame me for having a few too many last night, Deerest," Nick said and slugged him on the shoulder, to which he recoiled further.

"Hey Nicky," Darcy said and patted the chair next to him. "Are you gonna tell us what happened last night after we all nodded off?"

There was more than a little suggestiveness to her tone, and Nick was keen on getting past the subject rather quickly so he tried his best to brush her off.

"Victory is what happened. Victory and sleep," he said and swiped a roll from Danny's tray.

"I'll bet," she quipped back.

"You don't honestly think he and Judy hooked up, right?" Danny said with folded arms across her chest. "I mean, I'd be happy for him, but I think she can do better."

"Oh har har, Danny. You're just peeved about losing last night. Speaking of losers, where is the Ranger anyway?" Nick asked. He got his answer when Judy barged in quite suddenly in a flurry of snowflakes and cold breeze. She wasted no time before handing out assignments, not even taking off her goggles before greeting the team.

"Glad to see everyone doing well today so far," she said quickly. "We'll have to keep this quick since I've got some business to attend to with the resort manager soon. Everyone is assigned their previous week's duty, with only a few exceptions. Danny and Darcy?" The twins' ears perked up upon hearing their names and looked down at the bunny rather timidly. "We've got more kids in ski-school this week, so I need you both helping out the other instructors this week."

"Sure thing," Darcy said with a nod. Judy's tone was just a tad more serious than usual, and her formality was catching them all off guard.

"Good. That'll spread our patrol officers a little thin near Raven's Rift, so I'll need John and Wilde to partner up and take that side of the mountain this week."

John, who had been nursing a hangover headache all day, finally had a moment of clarity and cocked an eyebrow in confusion. A few others caught on as well. This was the first time she assigned Nick to anyone but herself for the entire season. "Uhh, sure," the deer nodded along and shot Nick a sideways glance.

"Report anything irregular straight to Mark, and don't be shy with asking for some help if you have any rescues or difficult skiers. Alright everyone, enjoy your lunch and keep it up!"

With that, Judy departed as quickly as she came without so much as a look at Nick. The others seemed to notice as well and looked back at Nick with confused glances.

"What was all that about?" John asked him.

"I uh . . ." Nick stammered. "I honestly don't know."

* * *

The next week was strange to Nick. He was still just as good at his job as before, and he always enjoyed a few good runs during the day to clear his head, but without Judy there it was all lackluster. He learned that Judy spent most of her time at base-camp, so he figured she was busy with some important project between ski patrol and the resort. On Wednesday he wrapped up a little early and swung by base camp to see what was up with her, but when he got there Mark told him she was already home.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday came and went without a word from her, and Nick was getting very cross, very quickly. For one, he did not like being avoided. Mocked, insulted, or slandered perhaps, but never avoided. Not by his friends. Secondly, this next week would be the last of the season, and soon the college kids would need to head back for classes and the others back to work. Presumably he'd be going back too, and while he did not like the concept of going back to Zootopia at the moment, he did not want to leave with things in the air like this.

She would know all that, yet she still ghosted on him and it hurt more than he would admit out loud.

Sunday was thankfully near blizzard conditions, which meant the lifts opened late and closed early. The white-out conditions made it very difficult to see while skiing with the sky the same color as the ground. Most casual skiiers elected to stay inside by the fire on days like this, save for a few daredevils. The workload was much lighter, and having a taller partner like John made it admittedly easier to spot from a farther distance. Nick was eager to wrap things up and see if he could catch Judy before she headed back to her cabin when John caught his moping.

"You okay there bud?" John asked him. They sat perched besides each other on top of the southernmost peak of the resort overlooking the more difficult runs, and apparently Nick's mood was visible through his goggles.

"That darn rabbit," he said with a scoff. "Nearly two months she strings me along for everything, now a week out it's like I'm a fox again."

"You were always a fox, Nick."

"Oh, so you noticed?"

"Bud, come on. Give her a little slack. She's been super busy this week helping wrap up the season and she needed us up here."

"Then why does she keep ghosting to her cabin at the end of each day?"

"How should I know? You're the one who won't tell us what happened after we all fell asleep that night!" John accused. Nick grumbled some more and looked away. "Look, I know you've got your secrets, but why is this bugging you so much anyway?"

Because I miss her, he thought. The answer was clear as day to him, but it was hard to put it into words. After this short time up on this mountain with that rabbit, somehow he grew fond of her, and he dared to dream that she felt similarly. It was painful to learn she wanted him far away from her in this way.

"If it really bothers you, why don't you go down there and knock on her door?" John asked.

"Can't exactly bum a ride on a snowmobile to go have a fight with my boss," Nick argued.

"You can ski to her place," he said. Nick's ears perked up at that.

"What?"

"Yeah. Last year, her snowmobile wouldn't start one day so I took one down there for her. If you wanted to, you could ski the backend trail down to her place. It starts by the lodge, though I wouldn't do it today since it'll be a dangerous trip in a white-out."

Nick was going to grumble some more before his radio perked up.

"Base camp to patrollers, anyone near the south peak?" Mark said through the static.

"Got John and Wilde here, Mark. Go for it," the deer said into his shoulder.

"We've got a family of pigs down here who say they're missing one. They came down the South Peak and were supposed to meet up at base camp 30 minutes ago, but he's a no show."

"Rodger that, can we get a description?" John hailed back.

"Teenaged male pig, on the slimmer side. His name is Russell and he should be wearing a grey jacket," Mark answered.

"Got it. We'll make a run through the glades and keep our eyes peeled."

"Gah," Nick groaned. "Why do we even let skiers up here wearing grey on days like this? Seriously, he'll be impossible to spot."

"Take it easy, Wilde. We'll find him. You're better at maneuvering through the woods, so you head that way, I'll peel off and check the terrain park. I'll bet a teenager just wanted some 'sick-air' before heading in for the day."

"Good thinking," Nick said and gave his friend a short salute before heading down the treeline. One benefit of cutting through the dense trees was that the snowfall was not so intense in the forest. Nick was much smaller than John was so he carved his way through the trees with ease. As much as he wanted to enjoy the fresh powder under his skis, he had a pig to find. The snow was falling down pretty hard, but not so much that it would wipe away a pig's ski tracks in a half hour, even if he was on the 'slimmer side'. After a few more turns and stopping every so often to inspect the snow around him, Nick brought his radio back up to his mouth.

"Johnny boy, you get our missing swine?"

"Nope, the terrain park is clear."

"Hmmm," Nick pondered. He kicked off a little towards the steeper part of the woods, still having no luck.

Finally, he struck gold as he ran over a set of ski tracks that could not have been more than a few minutes old. He followed them down away from the main slope and eventually stopped. He found two sets of skis and poles parked just outside of a small opening under a rock wall. Nick peered inside, struggling to see in the dark of the small cave. He was just about to call out when his ear twitched. He heard the sound of smacking lips and a short giggle.

"Eugh, not this," he groaned. Nick could vaguely see a thankfully-clothed pig playing tonsil hockey with a young female racoon, both blissfully unaware that they had been caught. "Hey!" He bellowed. The giggle turned into a gasp as a pig's head popped up into the daylight. The pig, presumably Russell, looked shocked and more than a little embarrassed in front of his lady friend.

"What the heck, bro?!" Russell squealed. Nick wanted to chew this little piglet out for causing such a ruckus in the name of a make-out session, but he remembered he was representing all of Royal Peaks, so he used as much class as he could.

"We're in white-out conditions and your family thinks your lost, kid," Nick explained. "I'm part of the Ski Patrol here and you both need to get back down to base camp because we're wrapping up for the day."

"I thought you weren't closing till four?" the raccoon whined.

"It is four," Nick explained. Clearly having lost track of time, they began hurriedly throwing their gear back on and shuffling out of the small cave. Nick gave them a bit of respectable space while they gathered their things and radioed John to meet him at the lodge. The three of them gently made their way out of the woods and Nick made sure they did not take any more romantic detours along the way down. Soon enough, they caught up with John, and Nick could see the lodge close enough to let the youngsters go, with just enough daylight left to make it home. John found the whole situation more than a little funny.

"I mean it's a blizzard!" John balked. "I know it's hard to get busy when you're a teenager, but have a little class, pig!"

"I know, I wanted to say the same thing. Gugh, I'm actually glad Hopps was not here for that. She'd call me a peeping todd till the end of time."

"Darn it Nick, I thought we got your mind off of her! What is going on between you two?"

"Nothing, Johnny," Nick said, which was regrettably the honest answer at the moment.

"Nick, I'll take your word for it, but by the very least, can you try to patch it up with her before the season's over? It's not good for either of you, and especially her, to leave bad blood in the air during goodbyes. Bunny's hearts aren't as strong as yours or mine."

"Psh, you make it sound like I'm leaving her on a deserted island," Nick scoffed.

"This mountain may as well be during the off season."

"She's got a pile of family members stacked to the heavens waiting for her in the Burrows. She'll be fine."

John paused for a moment, lifting his goggles up and glancing down at Nick. He looked surprised by the comment, and noticeably concerned as well. "Nick, she stays here year-round."

"What? No way, she would have mentioned that at some point."

"It's true, Nick. She's the mountain ranger. She runs the patrols during the ski season, but in the off season she's here watching over the property for the owner, and she's often the only mammal here for long stretches of time. That cabin is her year-round home."

Nick was astonished. The idea that a bunny so gregarious and friendly could go so long being alone in the mountains like that was surprising for sure. But he imagined it was peaceful in it's own way, and Judy would certainly find some duty to fill her time; something that helped mammals, knowing her. What made his gut sink was that he had no idea until that moment. Nick was good at putting on a face and wearing masks to keep others none the wiser, but Judy was in a different class altogether.

"She never said anything."

Nick wanted to say more, but his pocket buzzed. John felt a buzz as well and dug his cell out of his pocket. Nick could see his eyes squint to read the message, only to fall open in disbelief. He turned to Nick and held up a hoof, as if gesturing for him to hold still. Nick dug his own cellphone out and quickly read the mass-text.

Same assignments as last week. No need to meet for role at the lodge tomorrow. Thanks!

Judy

Nick shoved his phone back into his butt pocket and picked his poles out of the snow.

"Nick, wait a minute. The snow is too heavy right now. You don't know the way."

A few months this deer had known him, and yet he could still read Nick's mind. Impressive, sure enough, but he still needed to learn when physically restraining him was the only option left. Nick kicked off and headed down the mountain at a quick pace, carving through fresh powder as the wind howled in his ears again. The snow began to sting at his face as he picked up speed.

"That infuriating, cotton-tailed little coward," Nick cursed under his breath. He had quite enough of her avoidance tactics and was just about ready to kick down her door and ask what her deal is. If nothing else, the shouting would provide some catharsis.

He zoomed by the officer's barracks and quickly found the trail that veered away from the main slope. It was small and narrow, but it was well carved out from daily use. The sun was quickly fading behind the darkest, grayest clouds and the wind was slowly picking up as well. The trail bobbed and weaved around the mountainside and down towards a valley nestled at the foot of the mountain. Eventually it got so dark that Nick had to raise his goggles to see ahead of himself. Just before he was nervous about being lost in a snowstorm, he saw a dim light ahead. He stopped at the top of a steep hill that lined a very flat clearing in the trees. On the other side of the clearing was a modestly sized cabin with smoke coming from the chimney. It looked homey and cozy to no end, but not old and decrepit like he half expected. The owner of Royal Peaks must have set her up something nice to get her to stay year round.

Remembering why he was down here, he grunted and kicked off the slope. He was confident he could make it all the way to the front door in one motion if he caught enough speed. The wind howled in his ears again and Nick fixed his eyes on the cabin. But right as Nick began crossing the clearing towards the small wooden house, he began to hear cracking. His ski's drifted over something frigid and hard under an inch or so of fresh snowfall.

Ice. Nick was on ice, and it was cracking.

"Scat," was all he had time to curse before the ice gave way and his body tumbled into water. It took a moment for the water to snake its way through his clothing and into his fur, but as soon as it hit his skin, it stung like fire.

Nick yelped and grappled at the flimsy sheets of ice in front of him. His eyes widened in shock as the water penetrated deeper. He tried in vain to grab hold of anything solid to keep him afloat, but the ice kept breaking around him in his frantic attempts at pulling himself from the frigid water. The weight of his skis pulled him down deeper, his shoulders dipping into the water and causing an icy pain to roll over his chest.

Nick groaned in pain and kicked at his skis as best he could, but the buckles weren't budging. He could still see the faint light of the cabin window as he sank all the way to his neck.

"Hopps!" he called out in desperation. "Judy!"

His face finally dipped beneath the surface for a moment. The cold was so intense that his eyelids refused to shut to keep the water at bay. Instead his vision blurred and he gasped for air, trying to keep his head above water. Finally, the last piece of ice he was clinging to snapped and gave way as he sank beneath the surface completely.

His eyes still refused to close as he sank into blackness beneath the ice and snow. He held his breath and reached down to his feet, trying to undo his ski boots. If he could only get the skis off, he could swim well enough to make the surface. The cold was agony and it yanked at the breath in his lungs. He was able to get the first boot slipped off after a brief moment of struggling, but the other was still dragging him down deeper into the frozen lake. Panic began to set in as his breath began to run out. He yanked and cursed at the boot on his foot before his arms and legs began to refuse to move when he asked. He moaned in desperation, looking up towards whatever light was left.

A paw reached down and grappled his ski jacket by the shoulder. He could feel it snake it's way down his side and towards his boot. The clippings came undone and his foot was finally free. He instinctively kicked and used whatever strength was left in his body to grasp for the surface. The same paw dragged him upwards faster and practically threw him back above the ice.

Nick coughed out loudly and gasped in a painfully cold, yet relieving breath of air. He pawed at the water again, trying to keep his head above the water. The paw on his shoulder yanked at him.

"Grab hold of the line!" Judy said, pulling him towards her. She thrust a thin rope into his paws which he gladly took a firm grip of. He pulled himself along to where the ice was more solid and continued to gasp for air. The cold was omnipresent now and his teeth clattered as the ice broke underneath him. Each movement was slower than the last, and more than once did he consider just staying put because movement just brought more cold into his core.

"Come on, almost there!" she beckoned him as they both tugged at the rope, dragging themselves closer to the edge of the pond. Finally, after a few more tugs, Nick felt ground beneath his bare feet and did his best to stand. Judy continued to pull him up farther onto the bank and heaved heavy breaths that fogged up in the air around him. Nick collapsed onto the snowy bank and shivered maddly.

"Nick! Cheese and crackers, Nick! What were you thinking?" Judy shouted. He tried to tell her all about how he thought the clearing was part of the trail and how he did not expect there to be a pond, and how he came out there to yell at her, but neither his lips nor tongue were moving.

"Tried . . . . t-to . . see-you," was all he was able to mumble. His eyes teared up from the cold and he winced them closed as his extremities became very numb.

"Come on, let's get you inside," she said and threw his arm over her shoulder. Nick could tell from her voice that she was shivering as well. They past by a tree that Judy used as an anchor to tie the rope around her and eventually made their way inside.

The warm air inside the cabin actually stung nick's skin at first. He was still very much hyperventilating and now was causing a small puddle of pond water to collect at the base of her doorstep. Judy practically lept up to his eyesight and yanked down at his jacket zipper. His jacket and snowpants fell to the ground with a heavy thud and splash. Nick's arms wrapped around his core and squeezed a little water out of his fur. He was still soaked to the bone.

"Help me get the rest of your clothes off, Nick," Judy commanded. Nick looked at her with whatever would pass for surprise in the moment.

"D-d . . . .d-dinner and a mmmm-m-movie first . . ." he managed to mumble.

"Nick, do you want to keep your toes?" Judy shot back. "We need to get you dry and your fur is s-soaked through," she explained. Nick caught her shiver as well, but could not really think past trying to shuffle off the hateful liquid stuck in his fur. He could barely raise his paws over his head as Judy guided his undershirt off. It was not a graceful way to lose clothing in front of a beautiful female, but Nick could barely think, much less try to look dignified as he was stripped bare in her mudroom. By the time he was done, there was a small pool of icemelt settling on the floor of her entryway.

"I'll g-get some towels. Y-. . . you shake off what you can," Judy said with a wince, fighting to keep her own limbs moving properly.

"R-right here?" Nick asked.

"N-nick! You have to hurry and dry off!" she said and vanished into what was presumably the bathroom. Nick guessed he couldn't do much more damage to her floor, so he knelt over and began a full-body shake, starting with his snout and cascading down his back all the way to tail. Water frantically leapt from his fur, and he finally began to feel whatever warmth was in his body actually stay put.

"Ahhhh," he sighed happily. There was a tingly sensation just shy of being painful that resonated through his body, slowly warming him back up. He instinctively followed the sensation and created wet paw prints that led towards the fireplace. He sat his regrettably naked butt down on the cold ground in front of the fireplace and smiled as the delicious heat coming from the flames began to chip away at the frost on his toes.

A towel soon wrapped itself around his shoulders from behind him, solidifying his newly found comfortable state and tying it neatly down onto his body. He moaned happily as Judy made sure it was snug around his center. It was small for him, unsurprisingly, but it did its job well enough. She dropped another into his lap, presumably to cover himself up at least a little, so he carefully wrapped it around his waist.

He heard Judy huff as she sat down as well in front of the fire about a foot beside him. She had a towel wrapped around herself tightly, forsaking modesty for safety. He looked across his shoulder, observing her clutching her paws to her chest and trying to warm herself. She did not even look at him before she started berating him.

"W-what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking t-tonight seemed like a g-good night for a s . . . a swim," he said with a smile. His voice was still labored, but his movement was categorically better.

"You've never m-made that trip be-b-before. You know b-better than to try that in- . . . in white-out," she accused him through chattering teeth.

Nick suddenly remembered why he skied over in such a rush, and why he was cross with her. He had been so caught up with not dying that it slipped his mind. "And y-yyou know better th-than to shut m-me out like yo-u ha-ave ben," he said sternly. "Seriously, after e-everything? You're just g-ggonna pretend I don't e-exist and watch mm-me leave?"

Judy looked away. Nick noticed the water on the tips of her ears had frozen stiff, giving them ghostly white highlights as they drooped over her back.

"E-ever since that night in the b-barracks," Nick continued. "You've been flat out avoiding me. I've been spat in th-the face before and it was less insulting."

"I'm ss-sorry," Judy said softly.

"N-no. 'Sorry' is for spilling coffee, or for falling in a frozen pond uninvited. I'm not looking for s-'sorry', I want to know why."

Judy kept her head turned away, her arms continuing to clutch inward at the towel wrapped around her. She was in meek shape after the impromptu swim. Clearly the cold got to her much quicker than it did to him, having much thinner fur than a fox. Nick frowned and turned towards the fire himself, not wanting to gaze at her pitiful form much longer.

"So I don't even g-get that much, huh," Nick said with a scowl and another shiver down his spine.

"Nnn-Nick," she said, "I'm sorry. I just . . ."

"Yeah?"

"I was scared," she admitted. "I-I see mammals come and go every season. E-even if we become the best of friends, they always leave, and...and I always stay. I've had more hard goodbyes than I care to remember, so I find it better not to get too close."

"I know, Carrots. John told me all about it," Nick explained. "Trust me, I get it. You try not to fly too close to the sun, so you stay at arm's distance. "

"Mmhm," she nodded. "That's why I never join in at the barracks after work."

"If it hh-hurts so bad, why keep the job?" Nick asked her. She looked back at the fire thoughtfully and drew a deep, shaky breath.

"I always wanted to make the world a better place," she said weakly. "When I failed the academy, I thought I would n-never be able to, no matter how hard I tried. Like I was cursed to fail. But when I came here," she said and gestured to her own walls, her paw shaking steadily. "I found something I was good at, and mammals who believed in me. The resort staff, Mark, John, even the owner; they all believe in me here. So if I only get to make the world a better place during the winter, then that's what I'll do."

Nick took this moment to look around at her cabin. It was the embodiment of cozy, with a soft wool rug beneath his feet and wooden accents along the walls. She had a small sofa lined with plush pillows and blankets draped all over the place. The wind tacked snowflakes against the windows softly. He could see the appeal, even without any higher calling.

"But why send me to the opposite side of the mountain?" he grumbled. "You could have just said flat-out, 'Hey partner! I'd rather you vanish forever than get any closer, so why don't you buzz off?'"

"No! N-nick, that's not . . . I don't want that."

"Would have been more polite, at least."

"Nick! I was scared because I don't want you to go!" she said loudly. Nick finally turned and looked at her. Her eyes were wet, and he doubted it was from the frozen lake. "There! you happy? I want you to stay so bad that knowing you're leaving next week is keeping me up at night."

Nick's mouth fell open a little. He was honestly taken aback at how much hurt she bottled up. He always figure bunnies were emotional creatures by nature, but if she'd been feeling this way for a while, she did a pretty darn good job of hiding it. Judy looked back at the fire and pulled her knees up to her chest, shivering violently and sniffling loudly.

Dumb bunny. Why'd you jump in the water with such short fur?

Nick gently rose to his feet and took a new spot right beside her. She didn't move or even look at him at first, but then she felt two large paws pick her up gently by her torso. She protested a little, but her frozen bones refused to cooperate, so she couldn't really fend him off. Nick placed her right onto the towel on his folded legs and held her close.

"Nick, stop it," she mumbled.

"Your ears are frozen, fluff. You'll warm up faster this way," he said simply. She continued to scowl and kept her eyes on the fire, but before long the now-dry strands of his soft fur began to warm her frigid skin. She leaned back, allowing his chest to thaw out her back and ears, and it felt heavenly.

She hated it...how comfortable he felt against her. She wanted to send him away and get to forgetting he ever existed sooner, but she did not have the strength in her to move a muscle when he gently laid his chin on her head. She could feel his chest rise and fall as he breathed calmly, and it soothed her to no end.

"You would have made a good cop," he breathed. "I'm sorry it didn't work out."

Judy frowned, remembering all too well how it felt going home after nearly 20 years of training and studying to be a police officer. It was several years ago, sure, but it still stung.

"I passed the exams just fine. But the physical fitness test is graded by whoever the instructor is, and that rhino didn't think a bunny would stand a chance as a real cop," Judy explained. "Plenty of my classmates believed in me, but he didn't, and that's all it took." Judy felt his arms wrap around her torso and pull her inwards into his inviting warmth. He was now cozier than any blanket she owned, and telling him about her past had a cathartic relief to it. "I went home for a while, and I felt pretty lost. But then I was offered the chance to shadow the old Ranger down here by one of my classmates. Thought it better than sitting and moping, so I took him up on it, and I've been here ever since."

"I'm sorry, Fluff," Nick said softly. "I stand by what I said, that you would have been a good cop, but I'm glad you failed."

"You're glad? . . . why?" she breathed back.

"I never would have met you otherwise." Nick's arms draped over her shoulders and crossed over her torso. She immediately laid her own arms atop his and pulled herself in closer and tighter. She sniffled and could not fight back a soft smile pulling at her cheeks.

"Sure you would have, Slick. When I would be reading your Miranda Rights," she jested. He smiled back, thankful beyond words to have her mood brighten again. There was something criminal about letting this bunny cry.

"I told you, I did not come here to escape the law," Nick reminded her.

"Right, you're just here to ski, how could I forget?"

Nick took a deep breath through his nose and closed his eyes. It was only fair at this point. He was a fox who believed in quid pro quo. She saved his life a few minutes earlier, so the least she earned was a little truth.

"I'm here because I failed too," Nick said softly. "My dad was a tailor. He owned a small shop at the corner of Herd and Beaker street called 'Suitopia'. Can't say I was ever any good at making suits, but I was a darn good salesman when he needed help behind the counter. He uh . . . he died a few years ago, complications from pneumonia."

"Oh Nick," Judy cooed and leaned her cheek into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah. . . Anyway, the shop fell to me to run, so I did whatever it took to keep that place afloat," Nick continued. He could still remember the way the shop smelled of newly unpacked fabric and freshly pressed shirts. "But . . . well, I said I was never that good at making suits. I gave it my best, digging up my dad's old journals and guidebooks in the study and dusting them off. I got to work and pumped out whatever items I could. But without dad there, business was slower, and the rent on the place just kept going up. Eventually a chain coffee company offered to buy the place out, suits and all. I told them to go shove it, and carried on for almost another year. But I spent almost all my money running that place, and I needed to look after mom. The money from the coffee chain would guarantee her retirement, so I'm pretty sure my dad's ghost would choke me if I didn't do what I could for her. So, after fighting as long as I could, I sold the place in December. I bet it's already selling cappuccinos to hipsters by now."

Judy was beyond grateful to hear this story from him, even though it was bittersweet to hear. She nestled her head into his chest further, wanting nothing more than to comfort him. Another moment passed by in tranquil silence as she let his words linger in the air. After the air was calm enough, Judy spoke again.

"Your mother?" she asked softly.

"She's doing just fine," he said, nodding his chin against her head.

"I'm sure your father would be very proud of you, Nick," she said caringly. The sincerity of her voice felt like was water soaking into dry soil. Nick refused to let her see just how much hearing that meant to him. Not right then at least. There was a particular reason he told her this story, after all.

Nick looked down, finding Judy facing him and looking up at him with wide violet eyes. She had a pawful of his chest fur and was holding onto him firmly. It was that same look again from that night in the barracks, returning once more to haunt him. There was such terrible longing in her eyes and the slightest quiver from her nose. Like a moth to flame, he was drawn in closer. He rose his paw up to gently graze her cheek as he moved nearer. His nose was practically touching hers when she hesitated.

"Don't," she begged. Her eyes watered, pleading with him with all her might to end the heartache one way or the other.

"You don't need to be scared, Judy," Nick said softly.

"Why not?"

He smiled, not his typical self satisfied smirk, but instead a genuine smile that precious few had ever seen from him. "Because I found something I'm good at," Nick said, "and someone who believes in me."

Her eyes widened, and she gripped his fur a little tighter. Her nose twitched and her body stayed absolutely stiff.

"Nick . . . are you saying...you'll stay?"

"I never made a plan for what to do when I got back to Zootopia," he explained. "Now I won't have to. Besides, someone's got to make sure you don't lose your mind out here in the wilderness . . . if you'll have me."

Judy smiled, relaxing herself into his touch and wiping her eyes quietly on her forearm. She nodded, softly at first, then firmer as his paw grazed her cheek again.

"I'll have you," she said softly and pulled his chest towards her by the fur.

Their lips met, softly at first, barely even touching. She could feel the warmth of his breath softly caress her face. He could feel the soft fur on her nose graze against his. Testing the waters soon became diving in headfirst as he wrapped his arms around her again, pulling her closer. She chirped happily as his fur warmed her center further, allowing her lips to roam freely on the surface of his. The fire kept them from freezing, but their bodies kept each other warm.

* * *

There was that familiar humming sound as the PIXAR machine began to wind down. Judy felt her senses return to her body. Once she was fully aware of where she was and what was happening, she reached up and pulled her visor off her face, blinking in the bright, artificial light of Fitwik's. She rubbed her eyes and stretched her back out a little. It took some getting use to, coming back down to the real world, and her memories of the experience were already sparse and fading just as quickly.

She did remember Nick, and him falling into a frozen lake. Sounds like something he would do, the dummy.

"You okay there, honey?" she said to him and placed a paw on his shoulder. Nick yawned with the visor still over his eyes and let out a frown.

"Awww it was just getting good!" he grumbled and fiddled with the visor lazily.

"I know, I know," she consoled her husband. "You're still technically on lunch break so we have to get you back to the station before Bogo figures out what you've been up to."

"Ugh, I have to go to work after all that?" He said and finally lifted his visor. Judy made sure she was the first thing he saw, leaning right over his chair and bumping her nose against his. She pressed into him and laid on a thick kiss that was very familiar to the one they were experiencing not moments earlier.

"Mmm," Judy cooed as she let him breath. "I don't care how hot it is back home, anymore. We're picking up where we left off as soon as you're done."

Nick smiled wickedly at her. "Feeling a little cooled off now?"

"Yes," she said in relief, before smiling at him like she knew something he didn't. ". . . and no."

"Easy there, crazy bunny. I can only do so much."

Judy smiled. "Nick, thank you so much for bringing me here," she said sincerely, placing a paw on his chest. "That was just what I needed. I'm actually looking forward to the heat a little now, after that lake part. Don't you think you overdid the whole 'cooling off' thing?"

"A little overkill never killed nobody," Nick said and picked her up as he lifted himself up off of the chair. He let her down after a quick peck on her forehead before thanking and paying their host, who waved them kindly out the door.

"Oh oh! Nick? Before you drop me back at home, can we get some Blue Bunny 'Carrots and Cream?'" Judy said excitedly as they approached the cruiser.

"Ice Cream, are you serious fluff? After all that ice?"

"Come on, Slick! I'm just dying for some Blue Bunny!"

"Carrots, only a rabbit could wake up vomiting only to turn around and shove ice cream down their throat by the bucket in the same day," Nick scoffed, shaking his head. "You'll turn into a Blue Bunny before long."

Judy simply laughed him off, knowing she had him bought and paid for at this point. Another thought popped into her head as they buckled in and set off for the nearest convenient store.

"Hey honey," Judy pondered. "Have you ever been skiing before?"

"Not a day in my life," Nick said flatly.

Nick smiled at his wife, knowing exactly what was coming next. She always had this eager energy whenever it came to trying something new, even if it meant humiliating failure. He was already looking forward to it, even if he would probably make a damn fool of himself in the snow.

"Me neither . . . . you wanna give it a try sometime?"


End file.
